Being a Writer: What does it Mean in My Classroom?

Literacy is a very important part of my teaching pedagogy.

My grandfather had to work hard in order to learn: walking 10 miles a day, teaching himself to read, running away from home to go to college.

Literacy is a very important part of my teaching pedagogy.

My house was filled with books. We have two aunts who are authors and book reviewers so I was never without something to read.

Literacy is a very important part of my teaching pedagogy.

I first taught someone how to read when I was 13.  It was a uphill battle all the way and I never thought we'd make it but hearing him call every two months to tell me whats up with Harry Potter these days is the most rewarding experience I have ever had.

Literacy is a very important part of my teaching pedagogy.

I once used books to escape what was going on at home.  My family was struggling and I had no where else to turn but to Meg Cabot,  Amelia Atwater Rhodes, and Anonymous. 

Literacy is a very important part of my teaching pedagogy.

I want every child to know what it feels like to hold a book in their hands and think "this will be an adventure- let me dive right in."

Where I come from shapes who I am as a person and as a teacher. My cultural Autohistory after the break will give you a little more insight as to how were I came from and how I was raised. Take a look!

What to do on the First Day of School

Most Important Things:

1. Establish Rules and Routines
2. Get to know your students and where they are in their understanding
3. Build Trust
• Read book about the first day of school- ex: "First Day of School Jitters"- every day
4. Have Fun!

To Do Before the First Day:

1. Get to know your kids
• Label items in the classroom with students names- the cubbies, desks, welcome boards, etc.  This will help you get to know the names of the students and all you will have to do on the first day is put a face to the name
• Send a letter home to the parents and have them tell you about their child and themselves
2. Figure out what kind of classroom/schedule you want to have
• What expectations do you have before the bell rings?
• Do you make the rules or do y'all make them together? Who enforces them?
• Assertive Discipline: Give 4-5 rules, phrased in a positive way. No "dos and don'ts," just expectations.  If you come up with them together have them find ways to make it positive. Ask them what rules they would follow and how they would like to hear them repeated.
• Role play and illustrate rules to make them more fun
• Do you want a loud or a quiet classroom? Do you like movement or should students sit still? How you establish your classroom layout factors into this
• How would you prefer students to have your students get your attention?

During the First Week:

1. Be Creative
• During the first week you want to have fun. Do creative things
2. Establish Centers
• Centers should be opened up routinely. On the first day, do a group activity. On the second, introduce a center and allow some students to go work at it. On the second, open another center.  By the end of the week the students will know where certain activities are completed in the classroom and when they should complete them.

Ciao! Mi Chiamo Lindsey

Welcome to my new blog about my undergraduate education journey!

I am a third year student at the University of Georgia studying Early Childhood Education and have recently realized that I have so many resources at my disposal and no way to keep track of them all.  I have only been in my major for one semester now but I hope that I will be able to backtrack and combine all of my knowledge from last semester with everything that I am learning now and the semesters to come in a way that will benefit my future classroom. I am still not really sure how this blog is going to develop but I look forward to seeing what it turns into in the two years I have to come.

Con tanto affetto,

Lindsey